Method and device for servicing multistation coil winding machines



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WHO!) AND DEVICE FOR $ERVICING MULTI-STATION CQIL WINDING MACHINES FiledApril 14, 1958 5 ShBBSSbOOt 5 United States My invention relates tomulti-station coil winding machines for re-winding relatively small yarnpackages, such as the spinning cops as they come from the spinningmachine, into larger yarn packages. In a more particular aspect, myinvention relates to the sequential servicing of the winding stations bymeans of a servicing unit when ever it becomes necessary for that unitto eliminatestoppage conditions in a station as may be caused by yarnbreakage or depletion of the yarn-supply coil.

Multi-station machines with a servicing unit common to a number ofstations have previously been disclosed in my copending applicationsSerial No. 675,677, filed August 1, 1957, now abandoned and Serial No.691,632, filed October 22, 1957; and the present invention also relatesto improvements in machines of the type disclosed and claimed in saidapplications.

The automatic servicing unit of a multi station machine, capable ofsuccessively cooperating with the individual winding stations, isprovided with knotting mechanisms which, in the event of yarn breakageor depletion of a supply coil, locate the two yarn ends of the takeupspool and yarn-supply coil, then pass the yarn ends to a knotter whichties them together, whereafter the winding station is again placed intooperation. Since the servicing unit is rather expensive, it is importantto fully utilize it to best advantage. This is possible only if theidling period during which the servicing unit travels from windingstation to winding station or vice versa, and during which it'passesinactively by winding stations that do not require servicing at thattime, is kept at a minimum.

It is therefore an object of my invention to improve the servicingoperations from the just-mentioned viewpoint, thus providing for betterutilization and increased efficiency of the servicing unit.

To this end and in accordance with a feature of my invention thetraveling speed of the servicing unit is modified during operation independence upon the particular type of servicing operation to beperformed at a time.

According to a more specific feature of the invention the,

servicing unit, when called upon to merely eliminate yarn breakage, ismoved more slowly than during yarn-end searching activity, but, ifdesired, at a speed greater than that prevailing during coil-exchangingoperation which requires not only a coil exchange but also a subsequenttying together of yarn ends.

In certain cases, particularly where yarns of good uniformity, such asthose of cellulose derivations, wool, nylon, silk or the like, are to bewound, it is advantageous to have the servicing device travel in activecondition only from one side toward the other of the array of windingstations, because with such operation a return of the servicing deviceat a certain moment, for example at the moment when a coil exchange isrequired in a particular winding station, can be more readily secured.For this purpose, it has previously been proposed to have the knottingor coil exchanging devices travel on an endless path about the coilwinding machine, or to have the coil winding stations travel on anendless path along the knotting or coil-exchanging devices. Suchmachines, however, have the disadvantage that the limits of theoperating speed are fixed when the machine is built, for example independence upon a fixed number of winding stations. Furthermore, thetolerance ranges required to permit the intent fabrication of severalditferent types of yarn must he made larger than is preferable for mosteconomical operation.

It is therefore another object of my invention to or ii theabove-mentioned limitation and disadvantage.

For this purpose, and in accordance with a further fess ture of myinvention, the travel speed of the servicing unit is controlled not onlyin accordance with the particular type of servicing operation requiredat a time, but is also controlled and modified in dependence upon thetraveling direction 'of the servicing unit. According to a more cificfeature relating to the just-mentioned improvement, the servicing deviceis caused to travel in one direction, for example from the left towardthe right, on an idle re turn path in which no servicing work isperformed, and this return movement is given a greater speed than activeforward travel of the servicing unit.

However, the invention is also applicable to advantage in coil windingmachines in which the fault or stoppage removing servicing unit travelsback and forth and is in active working condition in both travelingdirections. Such an operation is preferable when fabricating yarns of agreater frequency of yarn breakages.

The servicing unit, in most cases, is called upon to perform differenttypes of servicing operations successively. Accordingly, the operatingor traveling speed of the unit can be made dilferent depending upon thetype of servicing operation to be performed. For example, the servic ingunit, while traveling, must not only perform work required by its owntraveling motion, but may be called upon to simultaneously perform asearching or feeling operation for determining at which particularwinding station the servicing unit must enter into operation; and forthat purpose, the traveling speed of the servicing unit is preferablyslowed down if only the elimination of yarn breakage is required.However, it may also happen that the servicing unit must be completelyarrested because a particular winding station calls for an exchange ofyarnsupply coils which requires a subsequent yarn-end searching andknotting operation;

The various types of operation required of the servicing unit may be thefollowing: The travel motion may have to be reversed; the travel mayhave to be completely stopped. The yarn ends of a broken yarn may haveto be searched and must be conveyed to the knotter, then placed into theknotter prior to placing the knotter into operation; the yarn endsprotruding from the knotter may have to be cut olf, the tied knot mayhave to be checked; the starting of the winding'operation in the windingstation and the return of the-fault-responsively deflected yarn guardmay have tobe initiated or effected; and ultimately the servicing unitmust perform a switching operation in order to initiate its continuedtravel. These different types of servicing work, mentioned by way ofexample, may require respectively different operating speeds. Forexample, when checking the tied knot, the servicing device mayalready-start to continue its travel at slow speed, or it may runsomewhat faster than during the knotting operation. This type ofdifferentiation in the speed of the servicing unit makes it possible tohave the relatively complicated and expensive servicing device operatein combination with the largest possible number of winding stations.Since the traveling speed of the servicing: unit is rated to requireshortest time for each particular type of servicing operation, aparticularly high degree of efficiency and best utilization of theservicing unit is attained.

According to a further feature of the invention, the servicing unit isprovided with switching means which maybe located at the windingstations or at the servicing unit itself, and which are in activecondition in one traveling direction of the servicing unit but areinactive in the opposite traveling direction. This is of advantage ifthe travel of the servicing unit is always to commence at the 3 firstwinding station and is to be terminated at a given other windingstation. However, it is also within the scope of the invention, toprovide the servicing unit with switching devices which perform their onand ofi operation in both traveling directions of the servicing unit.

The above-mentioned and more specific objects, advantages and featuresof my invention will be apparent from, and will be mentioned in, thefollowing description in conjunction with the drawings showing, by wayof example, several embodiments of multi-station coil winding machinesdesigned and operating in accordance with the invention. On thedrawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic and simplified front view, from the servicingside, of a multi-station winding machine.

FIG. 2 is a cross section through one of the winding stations accordingto FIG. I, with a servicing tender being located at that station, theenclosure of the machine being shown cut-off to reveal the interior.

FIG. 3 shows a detail of a supporting and suction tube which forms partof the same machine.

FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of another embodiment of a completemulti-station winding machine which is provided with a drive of a typedifferent from that in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 5 is a part-sectional cross section of a winding station in themachine of FIG. 4, the servicing tender being located at this stationand the enclosure being shown cut away.

FIG. 5A is a view of an enlarged detail taken from the left of FIG. 5and in the same direction as the view of FIG. 14.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate details of a coil exchanging mechanism onlarger scale.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of another embodiment of a machine forwinding cross-wound yarn packages.

FIGS. 9, l and ll show a lateral view, front view and top viewrespectively of a travel-reversing switching device that forms part ofthe machine shown in FIG. 8.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a top view and a lateral view respectivelyof. a switching device located at each individual winding station of thesame machine; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic total view of a multi-station winding machineaccording to FIG. 8, seen from the side of its servicing tender.

FIG. 14A is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 14.

FIG. 15 represents a plan view from above onto rod 114 and related partsof FIG. 8.

The same reference characters are used in all illustrations for similarcomponents respectively.

In the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, two lateral standards 1 and2 of the machine frame or carrier struc' ture are connected with eachother by a tubular horizontal carrier 4. Mounted above the carrier 4 area number of individual coil winding stations 3 along which a servicingtender may travel. The tender 5 carries the servicing devices requiredfor eliminating faults and stoppages of the coil winding operation inthe respective winding stations. A motor 6 drives, by means of a wormgear transmission 7, 7a, two endless chains 8 and 9 (FIG. 2). The chain8 serves to entrain the tender 5 along the machine. The chain 9 servesfor driving the servicing devices of the tender 5. Conventionalreversing or limit switches can be used to reverse the motor at thetravel limits of the tender. Note in this relation switch 87, 88 of FIG.5, described below.

A blower 10 (FIG. I) communicates with the interior of the tubularcarrier 4 and produces a vacuum pressure therein.

The individual winding stations are each provided with a yarn guidingdrum 11 (FIG. 2) against which rests a take-up spool or winder means 13.The spool 13 is journalled in a frame 12 pivoted at 12a so thatsufiicient pressure and friction is produced between spool 13 andguiding drum 11 under the weight of the spool and the frame. The yarnguiding drum 11 passes the yarn F onto the spool 13 while reciprocatingthe yarn in the axial direction of the spool for the purpose ofproducing a cross-wound yarn package. The yarn F comes from a supplycoil 1 3 and passes through a yarn tensioner 16 to the yarn guiding drum11.

In FIG. 2, the supply coil 14 is shown by dot-anchdash lines in theposition occupied when the coil is being unwound. The supply coil 14 iscarried by a pivotally mounted thorn 67 which can be turned about itspivot so as to be located in the end portion of a trough 15. In thisposition of thorn 67, a supply coil 14 arriving from above in the trough15 is automatically speared up on the thorn. Thereafter, a spring 79(FIG. 6) automatically returns the thorn 67 into the unwinding position.Located between the yarn tensioner 16 and the yarn guiding drum 11 is ayarn guard 17 which continuously tests the operation for presence of theyarn F and which turns clockwise in the event of yarn failure. Adouble-armed lever 18, 19 is fastened to the yarn guard 17 in thevicinity of the pivot axis. The fault-responsive pivoting motion of theguard 17 in the clockwise direction causes the winding station to bestopped in the known manner by lifting the take-up spool 13 off theguiding drum 11 and braking the supply coil 14. Since the mechanismrequired for such stopping operation is known as such it is notillustrated in order not to obscure the components essential to theinvention proper. Lever arm 18 forms a switching segment, and arm 19serves for resetting the yarn guard 17. I

The thread guard 17 is essentially a feeler which is normally springbiased into engagement with the taut portion of yarn F extending betweentensioner 16 and guiding drum 11. The thread guard 17 is pivoted at 17aand is rigidly connected with an arm 19. When the yarn portion betweentensioner 16 and guiding drum 11 is absent, either due to yarn breakageor to exhaustion of the supply coil 14, the guard 17 turns clockwisefrom the dotand-dash position to the full-line position, thus placingits arm 19 into the travelling path of the servicing unit or tender 5which, while travelling longitudinally along a certain number of windingstations, passes by the individual station here being described. Asdescribed, the tender is provided with yarn-end finding and knottingdevices which, in the event of the above-mentioned trouble, re-establishthe proper operating condition of the winding station before the tendercontinues its travel to the next following station.

The lateral standards 1 and 2 of the machine frame structure areconnected with each other not only by the tubular carrier 4 but also bya bottom rail 20 (FIGS. 1, 2), a horizontal carrier 21 for thetensioners 16, and an upper tubular rail 22 (FIG. 2). Mounted on theupper rail 22 is an arm 23 extending in a vertical plane. A supportingmember 159 (FIGS. 1, 2) serves for bracing the tubular carrier 4.

The tender 5 has running wheels 24 which roll along the carrier 4.Rollers 24a joumalled on the tender 5 serve to guide the tender alongthe bottom rail 20. At least one of the two wheels 24 can be pulled offits shaft; and the tender 5 can then be lifted out of the assembly. Forthis purpose, the tender is turned about the axis of the bottom rail 20and can then be lifted past the upper rail 22. The insertion of thetender is effected in the opposite manner. For facilitating such removalor insertion, the last location 3a (FIG. 1) on the multi-station machinemay be left vacant or the individual winding station located at thispoint can be made removable.

Mounted on tender 5, at the servicing side thereof, in the range ofthread guard 17 is a switch arm 25 (FIG. 2) which is kept inapproximately vertical position by a pulling spring 26. Switch arm 25 isfastened to a shaft 27 which carries a crank 28. Rotating motion ofswitch arm 25 thus causes the crank 28 to entrain a linking rod 29 and astop pawl 30 in the upward or downward direction. The motion of stoppawl 30 is also imparted to a latch 31. When latch 31 is thus moveddownwardly, it can enter into the center bore of a boss 51 on carrier 4,thus arresting the tender and latching it to the tubular carrier 4. Thepawl 30 and the latch 31 cooperate with a cam disc 32 which has a camnotch 34 into which the pawl 30 can enter, whereby the pawl arrests thecam disc. Cam disc 32 has a cam groove 33 and a dog 35. in a givenrotational position of groove 33, a control lever 36 carrying aspur-gear segment 37 can enter into the groove. Segment 37 meshes with apinion 38 which is connected with a suction tube 39 for conveying theyarn end to be found and seized.

Linked to the control lever 36 is a driving tappet 40 (FIG. 2) for aknotting device 41. The dog 35 of cam disc 32 cooperates with aprojection 43 of a control lever 42 so that, during passage of dog 35,the lever 42 is shifted counter-clockwise about its pivot and thenpushes a return tappet 45, in opposition to a pressure spring 44,against the return lever arm 18. When dog 35 passes beyond theprojection 43. the control lever 42 returns to its illustrated position.

schematically shown at 46 (FIG. 2) is a conveying arm which is pivotedon the tender 5. At the startof the yarn-end finding operation, the arm46 turns from the uppermost position, shown by a dot-and-dash linedownward toward the yarn tensioner 16 in order to thereafter convey theyarn end, then located in the tensioncr 16, upwardly to the knotter 41.Such devices are known as such, and for that reason are not shown anddescribed herein in further detail. a

The tender 5 has a suction conduit 52 whose lower end sequentiallycommunicates with lateral openings 50 of the tubular carrier 4 as thetender travels along the carrier. Each opening 50 (FIGS. 2, 3) isnormaiiy covered by a lid 49. As the tender approaches. the lid isturned away from the opening 50 so that then the suction conduit 50becomes connected with the suctio. tern of which the carrier 4 formspart. Conversely, when the tender leaves a winding station, the lid 49is released and then automatically closes the suction inlet opening 50.The suction conduit 52 provides vacuum pressure for the suction tube 39of the yarn-cad fintlng device.

The endless chain 8 has one of its chain members provided with anentrainer pin 54 (FIG. 2) which projects" into a vertically elongatedslot 56 in the tender structure and thereby entrains the tender totravel back and forth along the tubular carrier 4. However, since thetender 5. whenever needed, is stopped by the latch 31 in front of anindividual winding station. a slip clutch 55 is interposed betwecn thedriving shaft of gear '7 and the driving sprocket of the endless chain8, so that the chain 8 is temporarily arrested as long as the tender isstopped. In contrast thereto. the endless chain 9 rotates continuouslyabout its sprockets and, as soon as the tender 5 is stopped, actuates astep-down transmission 57 whose rotation is transmitted by a chain 58and a spur gear 59 through a slip clutch 60 onto a shalt 61 supported ona bearing 61a and which carries a worm 62 driving the cam disc 32.

When starting the operation of the multi-station winding machine, thetender 5 first travels from station to station and, by means of itsswitching arm 25, feels whether the yarn guard 17 in each station hasturned into the fault-responsive position shown by full lines in FIG. 2,thus signalling that a lcnotting or coil-exchanging operation is needed.The fault-responsive movement of yarn guard 17 has the effect of turningits switch arm 19 into the traveling range of the switch arm 25 on thetender so that when the tender passes by. either from the left or theright, the arm 19 turns the switch arm 25 in one or the other direction.Such turning movement of arm 25 is transmitted through shaft 27 tocrani; 28 which, irrespective of the direction of rotation, turns thepawl 30 and the latch 31 downward. Now, latch 31 enters into the centerbore of boss 51 and arrests the tender 5 in front of the windingstation, while the operation of that station is also stopped. Now thestep-down transmission 57 is placed in rotation by the continuouslyrotating chain 9. Transmission 57 then acts through chain 58, spur gear59, slip clutch 60, shaft 61, and worm 62 to drive the cam disc 32 inthe direction identified in FIG. 2 by an arrow. A free-wheelingmechanism in slip clutch 60 and its spur gear 59 permits rotation of camdisc 32 in the direction of the arrow during the active travel run ofthe tender 5, but prevents rotation in the opposite rotationaldirection, namely during return travel of the tender. The control lever36 can now drop into the cam groove 33 and entrains the spur gearsegment 37 counter-clockwise, thus rotating the pinion 38 clockwise. Thesuction tube 39 fastened to pinion 38 now turns from its lowermost (notillustrated) position upwardly. Since at this time the suction channel48 of conduit 52 is in communication with the opening 50 of the tubularcarrier 4 at the location of the winding station being served by thetender, the vacuum is effective to produce a current of suction air atthe nozzle end of suction tube 39. This air current sucks the free yarnend of the take-up spool 13 into the tube 39. For this purpose, thetake-up spool 13 is preferably turned slowly in the reverse direction byknown means (not illustrated).

During further rotation of cam disc 32, the control lever 36 again turnsback in the clockwise direction, and the suction tube 39 of the yarn-endfinder device again turns downwardly, thus entraining the seized yarnend from the take-up spool 13 into the immediate vicinity of the knotter41. At the same time the conveying arm 46 has passed from its uppermost(dot-and-dash) position to the lowermost (full-line) position 46 whereit seizes the yarn end coming from the supply coil 14. During the nextfollowing return travel in the upward direction of arm 46, the latteryarn end is also placed against the l-LIlOllCl' 41 which now ties bothyarn ends together.

In the meantime, the cam disc 32 has turned to the position where itsdog 35 presses against the projection 43 of control lever 42 and thuspushes the return tappet 45 toward the left for a short interval oftime. The tappet movement acts upon the lever arm 18 of the yarn guard17 and resets the guard so that the winding station is ready for furtheroperation. When the knotting operation is satisfactorily performed, thewinding station now continues the winding-up of the take-up spool 13. Ifthe knotting operation failed, then the yarn guard 17 does not remain inits lowermost position and thus initiates a repetition of theabove-described servicing operation upon the next passing of the serviceunit.

immediately after the dog 35 has passed beyond projection 43, the stoppawl 30 enters into the notch 34 of cam 32. This releases the latch 31from the boss 51, and the chain 8, kept under tension by the slip clutch55, cntrains the tender 5 by means of the entrainer pin 54. The tender 5then travels to the next following winding station where, if needed, theservicing operation is initiated and performed in the same manner asdescribed above.

instead of completely stopping the tender 5 by means of the latch 31,the machine may be modified in such a manner as to merely slow down thetraveling motion of the tender, for example with the aid of a brake, asdescribed below, with reference to connecting element in FIG. 5. Thispermits operating in such a manner that the tender 5 has already passedthrough the range of the winding station when the knotting is completed.In other words, the traveling speed of the tender during yarn-endfinding and knotting operations can be'adjusted to the most favorableconditions, so that the tender is most rapidly available for performingits servicing operations at the next winding station calling for suchservicmg.

In the above-described embodiment the traveling speeds of the tenderduring forward and return motion are equal. However, it is also possibleto drive a second traveling chain through another slip clutch and tohave this second chain entrain the tender after it arrives at one of thelateral standards 1 or 2, so as to return the tender at increased speedwhile during return travel the switch arm 25 is turned out of the rangeof engagement with the switch arm 19 of the individual stations. As soonas the returning tender reaches the other lateral standard, the arm 25is returned to normal position. With this design, the multiplicity ofwinding stations are felt-off by the tender for determining whether aservicing operation is needed, while the tender is traveling in only onedirection.

Such a modified design is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and in conjunction withan electric drive. However, a design of the same ty pe can be applied inthe same manner and to the same advantage in a machine otherwise asdescribed above with reference to FIG. 2.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the tender is driven by means of twoelectric motors mounted on the tender and energized through a flexiblecable. The cable 81 connects the machine frame structure 1 with thetender and is kept taut by means of a tubular part 82 (FIG. 5) on whichis mounted a helical spring 83 carrying a tubular rod 84. The rod 84assumes an inclined position (FIG. 4) toward one or the other sidedepending upon whether the tender is located toward the left or right ofthe machine center. In this manner the cable 81 will always be locatedin the free space above the winding stations. The tender 5 carries atubular part 86 (FIG. 5) and a helical spring 85 for receiving the cable81.

Also mounted on the tender is a reversing switch 87 whose actuatingmember is formed by pin 88 which abuts against the lateral standard 1 or2 as soon as the tender approaches the standard. This switch inreversing also changes the motor speed. In this manner the switch 87reverses the drive of the tender so that the tender automaticallychanges its traveling direction. Instead of having the lateral standardsact upon the reversing switch, the machine may also be provided with apartition if the tender is to serve only a limited number of thetotality of winding stations contained in the machine.

The servicing mechanisms of the tender are driven by an electric motor189 which may simultaneously serve to provide for feed or travelingmotion. The rcquired vacuum pressure is produced by a blower driven byan electric motor 90. The forward travel of the tender is effected bymeans of the chain 53 through a spur gear 100, a slip clutch 301, andfriction gears 30?. which transmit their rotation onto the runningwheels 24 of the tender. A clutch 60 having a friction disc 61b on shaft61 serves to connect shaft 61 and its worm 62 to gear 100 so as to drivecam 32 in only one direction and only during the forward travel of motor189. During the return travel of motor 189 the cam mechanism 32 and theworking devices of the tender 5 are idle. Here also, as in theembodiment of FIG. 3, a freewheeling mechanism within the adjacent spurgear 59 permits entrainment of disc 61b in one direction of rotation ofgear 59 by chain 58, and thus in one direction of travel of the tender.In the reverse direction of tender travel. the spur gear 59 rotateswithout entraining the disc 61b and thus does not rotate cam disc 32.Instead of arresting the winding station during the interval in whichthe station is to be placed into operative condition, the embodiment ofFIG. 5 provides for slowing down the opcrating speed of the station. Forthis purpose a braTJe shoe 69 is fastened to the member 31 which reducesthe traveling speed of the tender but does not completely stop thetender.

The machine is further provided with a device which, when the tenderapproaches one of the lateral standards, places the servicing mechanismsof the tender out of action but keeps the travel drive of the tender inoperation in the reverse direction, and which returns the servicingmechanisms into active condition when thereafter the tender reaches theother standard.

The switch arm 25 of the tender shown in FIG. 5 is joined at 93 with thecrank shaft 27. An arm 94, rigidly connected with the switch arm 25, islocated opposite a latch pawl 95 biased by a spring 96. At the end ofthe working travel path, for example at the lateral standard 1, there ismounted a control arm 97 (FIGS. 4, 5, 5A. 14) with an inclined cam facewhich laterally abuts against the lever arm 94 and thus forces it in thedirection toward the tender. As a result, the front portion of the arm94 catches behind the nose of the latch pawl 95. Pawl 95- then latchesthe arm 94 and thus also the switch arm 25 in swung-out position wherethe switch arm 25 occupies the position shown by dot-anddash lines (FIG.5). The switch arm 25 is thus kept out of the range of the switch arms19 in the individual winding stations so that when the tender passesthrough its return travel and along any winding station whose yarn guard17 is lifted in response to faulty condition, the servicing mechanismsof the tender are not placed in operation. However, when the tender 5reaches the other standard. namely the standard 2 (FIG. 4), the latchpawl 95 abuts against another stationary control member 98 (FIGS. 4. 14.5A) which forces the pawl 95 downward thus releasing the lever arm 94and hence also the switch arm 25. The switch arm 25 then swings backinto active position under the force of its biasing s ring 26. and thetender is again in active condition \thite commencing its forward travelalong the winding stations of the machine.

FIG. 5A further explains the cooperation of parts 93 to 96 in a viewtaken looking from the left of FIG. 5. This view is in the samedirection as in FIG. 14, but of an en arged detail.

\fhen the yarn teeter 17 is dropped down in response to yarn breakage.the lever 25, during travelling motion of the tender 5. strikes againstthe lever arm 19 and is thereby turned from the middle position 25'shown by dot-and-dash lines into the full-line position of FIG. 5A.Since lever arm 25 is firmly mounted on the shaft 27, the shaft 27 isthus turned and thereby initiates the entire yarn seeking and knottingoperation. After the yarn i1; knotted and again taut, the yarn feeler 17turns back into the dot-and-dash position of FIG. 5, the lever 25 ispulled back by spring 26 into the approximately vertical dot-antl-dashline positions 25 (FIG. 5A). and the tender 5 continues its traveltoward the left (FIGS. 14, 5A). When the tender reaches the lateralframe structure 1, the tappet 97 engages and moves the part 94 to theright into the dot-anddash position 94. This part 94 is rotatablymounted on the shaft 27. A dog 940 arranged on part 94 displaces thelever 25 counterclockwise to the dohand-dash position 25" duringrotational motion of part 94. This places the tip of the lever 25sufiiciently low so that during the subsequent travelling of tender 5 tothe right (FIGS. 14, 5A), the lever 25 will pass beneath and clear therespective dropped lever arms 19 at the various stations. During suchtravelling motion toward the right. the part 94 is kept is position 94'by the latching pawl 95, as shown in FIG. 5A.

When the tender 5 reaches the right-hand lateral standard 2, then therelease member 98 engages and unlatches the latch member from the part94 in opposition to the pull of spring 96. Consequently, the spring 26(FIG. 2) can now pull the lever 25 to the position 25' (FIG. 5A) andsimulizznctmsly causes the dog 940 to move the part 94 counterclockwiseso that the pawl 95 is placed against the lo'-v "r left edge of the part94. During a following motion of the tender 5 toward the left, the lever25 can again strike against the dropped lever arm 19 of any yarn feclcr17 that may have responded, and may thus release the yarn-seeking andknotting operations.

As mentioned above, the tender, in response to certain conditions, mustdischarge an empty supply coil 9 from a winding station being servicedand must substitute a full supply coil. The servicing mechanism forperforming such exchanging operations in each of the abovedescribedembodiments will now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 6and 7.

Fastened to the above-described control lever 36 (FIGS. 2, are twoBowden wires 66 and 65 which, depending upon the moving direction of thecontrol lever 36, either push against an arm 71 (FIG. 7) of brakinglever 70 or apply pulling force to a lever arm 72 (FIG. 6) respectively.The Bowden wire 65 controls the spearing-up device generally designated64 (FIGS. 2, 5). The Bowden wire 66, provided with a hooked lower end,con trols a doffer generally designated by 63 for lifting an emptysupply coil off the supporting thorn. In the event of yarn breakage, thecontrol lever 36 is turned in the manner described above. During suchdisplacement, the lever 36 pushes the Bowden wire 65 whose other endabuts against the arm 71 (FIG. 7). Since an exchange of the supply coilis desired only when the yarn of that coil 14 is exhausted, the emptytubular core or quill of the supply coil 14 is removed only upondepletion of the yarn on coil 14. The dotfer 63 comprises a doffer arm104 (FIG. 7) fixedly mounted on a tubular shaft 105. Linked to shaft 105is a feeler 106 (FIG. 7) which rests against the yarn body of the supplycoil 14 under the biasing force of a spring 107. Linked to feeler 106 isa tappet 108 which enters into a groove 109 of a tubular shaft 110 onlywhen the feeler 106 defiects about its pivot due to depletion of yarn oncoil 14. The shaft 110 is coaxially located within the tubular shaft105. Upon depletion of the yarn of the supply coil, the doffer arm 104becomes coupled by tappct 108 with the arm 71. Consequently when theBowden wire 65 pushes against arm 71 under the conditions alreadymentioned, the doffer arm 104 is entrained and turns clockwise, thuslifting the empty core of coil 14 off the thorn 67 (FIGS. 2, 5) andreadying the thorn for receiving a new, full coil. However, if there isstill sufiicient yarn on the supply coil speared-up on the thorn, thenthe tappet 108 cannot enter into the groove 109 and the movement oflever arm-71 caused by Bowden wire 65 remains idle, so that no coilexchange is effected.

The arm 72 of the spearing-up device (FIG. 6) is firmly mounted on aninner tubular shaft 73 which has a groove 74 into which an entrainer arm75 can enter. The shaft 73 is located within another tubular shaft 76upon which the receiving thorn 67 for the take-up coil is fastened. Bothtubular shafts 76 and 73 can rotate about a common center shaft 77.Firmly connected with the tubular shaft 76 and the thorn 67 is a holdermember 78 biased by a return spring 79. A feeler 80 is firmly joinedwith the entrainer 75.

When the supply coil 14 seated upon the thorn 67 still possesses asutficient yarn supply on the coil foot to make a knotting of the yarnend uneconomical, then the feeler 80 retains the entrainer 75 in theposition shown in FIG. 6 in which the entrainer cannot enter into thegroove 74 even though it may be in registry there with. However, whenthe yarn supply on the coil on them 67 is too small, the feeler 80 turnsclockwise under the action of its spring 79, and the entrainer 75 is nowin condition to enter into groove 74. Consequently, when thereafter thearm 72 is moved by the action of Bowden wire 66, the entrainer 75catches into groove 74 and entrains the holder member 78 and thus alsothe thorn 67. The thorn then turns downward in the counterclockwisedirection into the range of the trough (FIGS. 2, 5) through which a new,full supply coil is placed upon the thorn.

During return motion of the Bowden wires, the spearing-up mechanism andthe dotfer return into their respective original positions. The feeler80 and the feeler 106 return back to the testing positions, and thewinding operation can continue.

During dotting an empty core of a supply coil described above, thebraking lever 70, connected to arm 71 of the ejecting device, causesadditional braking of the tender 5 due or responsive to the additionalcoil-exchanging work. Any conventional braking means can be connectedbetween lever 70 and the conduit 4, for this purpose; for instance ofthe same type as is shown at 31, 69 in FIG. 5. This braking can serveeither to slow down or to completely arrest the servicing unit.

In machines of the type so far described, there may occur certain rarefaults or defects that cannot be eliminated by the servicing devices ofthe traveling tender but require manual activities or the use of otherauxiliary servicing devices. It may also happen that a defect occurs inthe tender so that a number of winding stations cannot be serviced bythat tender.

It is therefore another object of my invention to improve the machinesso that the operating range of the servicing tender, as regards thenumber of winding stations serviced thereby, can readily be set ormodified in such a manner that it will service only a limited number ofthe winding stations in the machine, whereas the other winding stationscan be serviced manually or by some other servicing device.

A further object of my invention is to increase the servicing efiiciencyof the mobile servicing tenders by having one and the same multi-stationmachine serviced by a plurality of mobile servicing tenders whoserespective working ranges, as regards the number of-stations beingserviced, can be varied in adaptation to the particular fabricatingrequirements.

In accordance with these objects, I assign to a mobile servicing unit anormal working range which covers only part of the total number ofwinding stations in the machine. The remaining number of stations canthen be serviced in other ways, for example manually or by anotherlimited-range servicing unit. Such a division of the winding stationsinto a normal automatic range and another, for example manual, range isparticularly ad vantageous if a particular starting operation isrequired, such as the covering of a coil core with a few initialstarter" turns of yarn. In such cases it is further of advantage to havea first servicing unit (A) perform a certain work (a), whereas anotherservicing unit (8) operating within a second range performs a differentwork (b).

The working ranges of the individual servicing units, each comprising agiven part of the total number of winding stations, may be contiguous.This is particularly desirable if different types of yarn, havingdifferent breakage frequencies or different depletion periods of theirsupply coils, are used on one and the same winding machine. Then, byvirtue of the invention, the individual servicing units can be betteradapted to the respectively different fabricating conditions of thevarious types of yarn.

However, according to another feature of my invention, the workingranges of the individual servicing units may overlap. Then, twoneighboring servicing units may become active within a limit workingrange common to both, whereas each unit is exclusively active in themiddle portion of its own working range. In other cases, particularlywhen the same fabricating conditions apply to all winding stations, itis advantageous to have two adjacent servicing units supervise andservice all stations within the entire working range. In this case,however, the individual servicing unit must be given a relatively longtravel and must be provided with switching devices to take care that theneighboring servicing units, when meeting each other, will automaticallyreverse their respective traveling directions.

The above-mentioned further objects and features are 11 embodied in themachine described presently with reference to FIGS. 8 to 14.

The machine has a frame structure bordered and sup ported on bothlongitudinal sides by respective standards 1 and 2 (FIGS. 8, 14). Eachof the serially aligned winding stations 3 (FIG. 14) comprises a take-upspool 13 (FIG. 8) journalled for rotation on a spool frame 12 pivoted at12a. The spool 13 receives the yarn F coming from the supply coil 14 andpassing over the rotating yarn-guiding drum 11 whose helical groove,closed upon itself, passes the oncoming yarn back and forth in the axialdirection along the spool 13 as the yarn is being wound up, thusproducing the desired cross-wound yarn package on the spool in a mannersimilar to the machine described above with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

Mounted on the tender in the range of the thread guard 17 is a switchinglever 25 whose pivot shaft carries a crank linkedto a latch pawl 30 andoperates in a manner similar to that above described with respect toFIG. 2. The switch lever 25 is retained in its normal position by abiasing spring 25a (FIG. 8) but deflects about its pivot axis wheneverthe lever encounters the arm 19 of a fault-responsively deflected threadguard 17. The deflection of lever 25 causes the pawl 30 to release acontrol cam 32 which initiates and controls the knotting operation sothat the yarn end is conveyed from the take-up spool 13 to the knotter,the yarn end from the supply coil 14 is also conveyed to the knotter,and both are tied together, as already described with respect to FIGS. 1to 3.

The tender 5 is driven to travel along the winding machine, by means ofan endless chain 8 whose chain links are provided with protrudingentrainer pins 101. Located opposite these entrainer pins is a slider102 displaceable in both directions, whose groove 108 (FIG. 11),depending upon the slider position, is engaged either by the entrainerpins 101 of the upper chain run or by those of the lower run. The slider102 can move up and down on guide bars 103 and 104 (FIGS. 8, 9, 10, ll)fastened to holding members 105, 106 of a base plate 107. The groove 108of slider 102 has entrance openings 109, 110 at the respective grooveends.

The slider 102 of the entrainer mechanism is placed into upper or lowerposition by means of a control rod 111 whereby one of the respectivegroove openings 110, 109 is placed opposite the entrainer pins 101 ofthe upper or lower chain portion, thus causing the slider 102 togetherwith the tender 5 to be entrained in one or the other travelingdirection. The particular position occupied by the slider 102 isdetermined by one of two interconnected control levers 112, 113 whichmove the slider 102 to the upper or lower position through a linking rod114 (FIG. 8), an angular lever 115, and the above-mentioned linking rod111. A toggle spring 116, acting upon lever 115, retains lever 115 inone or the other limit position until the lever is moved to the otherposition by one of control levers 112, 113.

Aside from the up and down movement of slider 102 in the entrainermechanism, the base plate 107 carrying the slider 102 can move towardthe right and left. During such motion, the base plate 107 is guided bypins 117, 118 and is driven by a bifurcated, angular control lever 119(FIGS. 9, 10, ll). The right-left stroke is just large enough that inthe right-hand position (FIG. 9) the pins 117, 118 remain outside ofgroove 108, whereas when the base plate 107 is in the left-hand position(FIG. 9) the pins enter into the groove. The forked control lever 119 isturned about the pivot 122 by a linking rod 123 which links the arm 121of lever 119 to an extension 120 of the above-mentioned pawl 30.

Each individual winding station is provided with a control bar 124 whichis located near the control levers 112, 113 of the traveling tender butdoes not directly protrude into the traveling path of the levers 112,113. Only if a block 125 (FIGS. 8, 12, 13) is mounted at the front orrear of the bar 124, can one or the other control lever 112, 113 enterinto engagement with the block 125 when the tender, carrying the levers112 and 113, passes by the block. The block 125 has a slanting positionrelative to the traveling direction of the tender 5 (FIG. 13).Consequently, the control lever 112 or 113 is turned about its pivot bythe slanting edge of block 125 as soon as the control lever enters intoengagement with, and travels along, the block. The block 125 has a boreengaged by a dowel pin 126 (FIG. 13) and rests against a stop pin 127which is lower than the block 125 and which prevents the block frombeing displaced from the slanting position by the engaging lever 112 or113. A spring 128 urges the block 125 into engagement with stop pin 127.

Due to the fact that each winding station of the machine is providedwith a control bar 124 which can be made to cooperate with the lever 112or 113 by properly inserting a block 125, each particular windingstation can be chosen for determining the travel limit for the tender 5simply by properly inserting the block 125. That is, when a windingstation is provided with the block 125, then this particular windingstation, after being serviced by the tender, eifects a reversal in therunning direction of the tender.

It is of advantage, to make the control bar 124 so large that it canaccommodate two switching blocks 125,

one for the control lever 112 located at the front, and the other blockfor the rear control lever 113. In this case, the multi-station windingmachine can be provided with two or more servicing tenders whoserespective operating ranges, each comprising a number of windingstations, overlap; the front position of switching block 125 serving tolimit the working range of one tender, whereas the rear position of theswitching block limits the working range of the second tender.

For example, before placing the machine in operation, a working range Ia(FIG. 14), comprising the winding stations Nos. 1 through 7, is assignedto the tender 5A. The working range IIa, comprising winding stationsNos. 6 to 12, is assigned to a second tender 5B; and the working rangeIll'b, comprising the winding stations 13 to 16, is assigned to a thirdtender 5C. Located at the end of range Ia, on each side thereof, is aswitching block 125 on control bar 124. In this case the blocks 125 areplaced in rear position which is identified in FIG. 14 by showing therear switching blocks 125 and the appertaining bars 124 fully in black.For limiting the working range IIa of tender 5B, the correspondingswitching blocks 125 are mounted in forward position on bar 124, whichis identified in FIG. 14 by showing block and bar by contour lines.

When the machine is put into operation, all individual winding stationscommence operating. As soon as a yarn breakage occurs in any onestation, the thread guard 17 of that station will turn outwardly. Whennow the traveling tender 5 passes by the winding station, the arm 19 ofthe turned-out guard 17 entrains the switching lever 25 which turns thepawl 30 downward and thereby moves a vertically reciprocable latchtappet 31 into a catch on the tubular carrier 4 along which the tenderruns. At the same time, pawl 30, by means of its projection 120,actuates the linking rod 123 so that arm 121 of control lever 119 turnscounter-clockwise (FIG. 8) about its pivot 122 and displaces the baseplate 107 (FIGS. 8, 9) toward the right. The base plate 107 and itsholders 105, 106 entrain guide rods 103, 104 and slider 102 toward theright. This moves the slider 102 out of the range of the entrainer pins101 of the conveyor chain 8 so that the chain can continue runningwithout further entraining the tender.

The knotting device 47 of the tender can now perform its operation.After completing the work, the control tappet 45 is pushed toward theleft by dog 35 of cam disc 32 pushing against control lever 42. Thetappet 45 newest i3 then returns the thread guard 17-into its originalposition. This has the effect of again placing the winding station intowinding operation.

The tender 5 continues its travel. If no servicing is required by any ofthe winding stations along the further travel path, the control lever H2or lid ultimately abuts against a switching block 125. As isparticularly apparent from FIG. 13, the lever 113 or 112, depending uponthe positioning of switching block 125, is deflected along the slantingsurface of block 125 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 13. The movementis transmitted through linking rod 114, angular lever 115 and linkingrod 111 to the slider 102 of the entraining mechanism, thus displacingthe slider upwardly. Since, when the winding station is again switchedon, the latch pawl 30 and its projection 120 have turned upwardly, thisupward motion, as already described, is transmitted through linking rod123 and arm 121 onto the control lever 119 which turns the slider 102toward the left, that is, into the range of the conveyor chain 8. Thelifting of the slider 102 from its lower into its upper position alsocauses reversal of the traveling direction of the tender, and the tenderruns in its new direction until it abuts against the next switchingblock 125 which then again causes reversal of the travel.

If the conditions are such that two tenders may meet each other, as isthe case with overlapping operating ranges such as shown at In and 11ain FIG. 14, then it is necessary to effect a reversal in travelingmotion of the two tenders also whenever such meeting occurs. For thispurpose, at least one of the two tenders is provided, on its side facingthe other tender, with a protruding control member 129 (FIGS. 8, l4,which acts through an angular lever 13!), pivoted at 130a, upon thelinking rod 114 and reverses the travel of both tenders.

It will be realized that in a machine of the type described withreference to FIGS. 8 to 14, there is the possibility of mounting on eachindividual winding station a device for selectively limiting theoperating range of the mobile servicing units by automatically reversingthe traveling motion of the unit. As also described, it is preferable tomake the limiting and travel-reversing control means readily movablefrom each winding station so that these means need be mounted only ifand where required. That is, each winding station is preferably sodesigned that this particular station can be made to operate as a limitposition for the traveling servicing unit merely by turning a switchinglever, inserting a block or other component.

The machine according to FIGS. 8 to 14 also em bodies the feature of myinvention according to which the mobile servicing unit itself isprovided with a device for reversing its traveling motion. This isnecessary in cases where an overlapping of working ranges is desired. Iftwo neighboring servicing units meet each other within the overlappingrange, the travel-reversing devices of the units enter into operationbefore the units actually hit against each other. Furthermore, thetravelreversing device of the mobile unit is also capable of cooperatingwith the travel-reversing device of the particular winding stationselected for defining the travel limit position.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art, upon a study of thisdisclosure, that my invention permits of various modifications and maybe embodied in machines other than those particularly illustrated anddescribed herein, without departing from the essential principles andfeatures of my invention and within the scope of the claims annexedhereto.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for servicing a multi-station coil winding machine,comprising a servicing unit movable along the winding stations foreliminating stoppage due to yarn absence in said respective stations,said unit being provided with drive means for continually reciprocatingthe lid servicing unit along a series of winding stations to beserviced, said drive means comprising means for varying the time spentin performing a total run in one direction of the unit in dependenceupon the amount of servicing work to be performed during one pass ofsaid unit past said series of stations.

2. Apparatus for servicing a m-ulti-station coil winding machine,comprising a servicing unit movable along the winding stations foreliminating stoppage due to yarn absence in said respective stations,said unit being provided with drive means for continually reciprocatingthe servicing unit along a series of winding stations to be serviced,and means for delaying the unit in fronuof said respective stations inresponse to stoppage occurring in a station for a delaying intervalrequired for the unit to eliminate the stoppage in said station.

3. The method of servicing a multi-station coil winding machine by aservicing unit movable along the winding stations for eliminatingstoppage due to yarn absence in said respective stations, whichcomprises moving the servicing unit at relatively slow speed and inactive condition forward along a series of winding stations andtemporarily delaying the unit in coactive relation to each station ofthe series that requires servicing at a time, reversing the traveldirection of the unit after it has reached the end of the series andreturning it at relatively high and continuous speed and in idlecondition to the beginning of the series, and continually repeating theforward and return travel of the unit.

4. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of seriallylocated winding stations, a mobile servic ing unit having a travel pathalong said stations and having automatic servicing means comprisingyarn-end finding. means and yarn-end knotting means and coil-exchangingmeans, each of said stations having sensing means responsive to yarnfailure and engageable with said unit only when in responded conditionto then initiate the operation of said servicing means, drive means forreciprocating said unit on said travel path, and drive control means onsaid unit for varying the time spent by said unit during one pass ofsaid unit past said serially located stations in dependence upon onesaid respective servicing means being in operation.

5. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of seriallylocated winding stations each having supply-coil holder means andtake-up winder means and each station having sensing means responsive toabsence of yarn between said holder means and said winder means forcontrolling said winder means to stop upon occurrence of such absence; amobile servicing unit having a travel path along said stations andhaving automatic servicing means including a yarn knotting mechanism forrestoring a stopped winding station to active condition, drive means forreciprocating said unit in said path, and drive control means mounted onsaid unit and having a control member actuable by any one of saidsensing means when said sensing means is in responded condition and saidunit reaches said responded sensing means during travel of said unit,said drive control means comprising travel delaying means controlled bysaid control member to temporarily delay said unit at the station beingserviced at a time.

6. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, amultiplicity of winding stations mounted on said support structure, eachstation having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder, a servicingtender mounted for reciprocating travel along said winding stations,said tender having servicing means for finding and tying ends of theyarn between said winder and said holder, each winding station having ayarn guard located between said winder and said holder, said guardhaving a normal condition and having a fault-responsive condition inresponse to absence of yarn, said tender having travel control means fordelaying the travel of said tender, said travel control means beingresponsive to said yarn guard only when said guard is in said responsivecondition at an individual stal tion whereby said control means delayssaid tender along side said station, and said tender having servicecontrol means responsive to said travel control means and coin nectedwith said servicing means to cause said servicing means to perform theyarn-finding and tying operations.

7. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, amultiplicity of winding stations mounted on the support structure, eachstation having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder, a tubularhorizontal mem ber extending along said stations, means for producingsuction in the member, a servicing apparatus mounted for travellengthwise of said member, drive means for reciprocating said servicingapparatus along said member, said apparatus having servicing meanscomprising suction nozzle means for finding and entraining the yarn endsand tying means for joining the yarn ends between said winder and saidholder, said suction nozzle means communicating with said tubularmember, each of said winding stations having a movable yarn guardnormally in one position and displaceable to another poistion inresponse to yarn failure between said holder and said winder to controlarresting of said winder upon occurrence of such failure, said servicingapparatus having a travel delaying device responsive tofailure-responsive displacement of said yarn guard at an individualstation, and said servicing apparatus having control means connectingsaid delaying device with said servicing means for causing performanceof the yam-finding and tying operations while said apparatus istemporarily delayed alongside said individual station.

8. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, aplurality of winding stations mounted on the support structure, eachstation having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder, a mobileservicing apparatus having a travel path along said stations, drivemeans for reciprocating said apparatus along said path, said apparatushaving servicing means for finding and tying the yarn ends between saidholder and said winder, each of said winding stations having a movableyarn guard normally in one position and displaceable to another positionin response to yarn failure between said holder and said winder tocontrol arresting of said winder upon occurrence of such failure, saidservicing apparatus having a device responsive to said yarn guard at anindividual station when said guard is in said other position, stop meansconnected with said device for arresting said apparatus alongside saidstation, control means connected with said device for controlling saidservicing means to operate while said apparatus is arrested, and releasemeans responsive to said control means for releasing said apparatus tocontinue its travel when said servicing means complete their operation.

9. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a support structure, aplurality of winding stations mounted on the support structure, eachstation having a lower pivoted supply coil holder and an upper take-upwinder, a tubular horizontal member having an individual suction openingfor each winding station, means for producing suction in the member, aservicing apparatus mounted for reciprocating travel to left and rightlengthwise of said member, drive means to so move the servicingapparatus, the latter apparatus having servicing means for finding andtying end portions of the yarn between said winder and said holder, theyarn-finding means including a pivoted suction nozzle, suction conduitmeans connected to said nozzle and movable along and communicating withsaid tubular member through said respective suction openings, each ofsaid winding stations having a movable yarn guard normally in oneposition and displaceable to another position in response to yarnfailure between said holder and said winder to control arresting of saidwinder upon occurrence of such failure, control means carried by theservicing apparatus including a device responsive to said yarn guardwhen said guard is in said other position at an individual station todelay the servicing apparatus alongside said 15 station and to initiatethe yarn-finding and tying operation, said control means being connectedto said servicing means to pivot said suction nozzle and said supplycoil holder.

10. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of seriallylocated winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel pathalong said stations and having automatic servicing means comprisingyarn-end finding means and yarn-end knotting means and coilexchangingmeans, each of said stations having sensing means responsive to yarnfailure and engageable with said servicing unit only when in respondedcondition to then initiate the operation of said servicing means, drivemeans for reciprocating said unit on said travel path, said drive meanshaving high speed in one travel direction of said unit and slow speed inthe other direction, said unit having control means connected with saidservicing means for rendering said servicing means idle during travel insaid one direction, and said unit having delaying means connected withsaid servicing means for delaying said unit during travel in said otherdirection during operation of said servicing means.

11. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of seriallylocated winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel pathalong said stations and having automatic servicing means comprisingyarn-end finding means and yarn-end knotting means and coilexchangingmeans, drive means for reciprocating said unit on said travel path, saidunit having a control member normally in a given position and movable toanother position for controlling said servicing means to perform a cycleof operation, each of said stations having a yarnengaging guard membermovable to a responsive position in dependence upon occurrence of yarnfailure in said station, said guard member in any one station beingengageable with said control member of said servicing unit only if saidguard member is in said responsive position when said unit reaches saidone station whereby said control member causes operation of saidservicing means, said unit having travel control means connected withand controlled by said control member to delay said unit during saidoperation.

12. In a winding machine according to claim 7, said servicing apparatushaving wheels running on said tubular member and having a center ofgravity located approximately on the axis of said tubular member.

13. In a winding machine according to claim 4, said drive for saidservicing unit comprising a motor mounted on said unit and drag cablemeans connected with said motor to supply power thereto.

14. In a winding machine according to claim 4, said drive for saidservicing unit comprising an endless drive member extending along saidtravel path, and said servicing unit having entrainer means for couplingsaid endless member with said unit.

15. In a winding machine according to claim 4, said drive for saidservicing unit comprising an endless drive member extending along saidtravel path and entrainer means for coupling said endless member withsaid sewicing unit, and a second endless drive member extending alongsaid path, said servicing unit having transmission means connecting saidsecond endless member with said servicing means for driving the latter.

16. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of seriallylocated winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel pathalong said stations and having automatic servicing means comprisingyarn-end finding means and, yarn-end knotting means and coilexchangingmeans, each of said stations having sensing means responsive to yarnfailure and engageable with said unit only when in responded conditionto then initiate the operation of said servicing means, an endless drivemember extending along said path, a motor, a slip clutch connecting saidmotor with said endless member, said servicing unit being connected withsaid endless member so as to be reciprocated on said travel path, andsaid servicing unit having arresting means responsive to said sensingmeans when the latter is in said responded condition, said arrestingmeans being adapted to stop said unit and said endless member duringoperation of said servicing means while said slip clutch permitscontinued operation of said motor.

17. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of seriallylocated winding stations, a mobile serv icing unit having a travel pathalong said stations and having automatic servicing means comprisingyarn-end finding means and yarn-end knotting means and coil-exchangingmeans, a service control device disposed on said unit and having asingle-revolution cam mechanism linked with said servicing means forcontrolling the latter to perform a single cycle of operations duringone revolution of said cam mechanism, latch means normally arrestingsaid cam mechanism and having a release control member displaceablymounted on said unit, each of said winding stations having sensing meansresponsive to yarn failure and engageable with said release controlmember of said servicing unit only when said sensing means of anindividual winding station is in responded condition whereby a cycle ofservicing operations is initiated as the unit reaches said individualstation, drive means connected with said servicing unit forreciprocating it on said travel path, and delay control means mounted onsaid unit and connected with said release control member for delayingsaid unit alongside said individual station during said cycle ofservicing operations.

18. In a winding machine according to claim 17, each of said windingstations having a supply-coil holder and a take-up winder and meansdefining a yarn path between said holder and said winder, said sensingmeans comprising a yarn guard normally in a position of engagement withthe yarn on said yarn path and defiectable to another position upon yarnfailure to then stop said winder, said guard being engageable with saidrelease control member of said servicing unit only when said guard is insaid other position, whereby said yarn guard returns to said normalposition to re-start said winder when said servicing operations succeedin eliminating yarn failure.

19. A winding machine according of claim 17, comprising a rigid carrierstructure extending along said travel path, said servicing unit havingrunning Wheels engaging said carrier structure to run along saidstructure, and said delay control means comprising a stop memberengageable with said carrier structure for arresting said unit duringsaid servicing operation, and actuating means linking said stop memberwith said latch means for actuating said stop member when said cammechanism is released for a cycle of servicing operations.

20. A yarn-coil winding machine, comprising a multiplicity of seriallylocated winding stations, a mobile servicing unit having a travel pathalong said stations and having automatic servicing means comprisingyarn-end finding and irnotting means for restoring an inactive windingstation to active condition, each winding station having meansresponsive to yarn failure and engageable with said unit only when inresponded condition to then delay the travel of said unit and initiatethe operation of said servicing means, drive means for moving said unitalong said path, said mobile unit having a reversing switch device forreversing its direction of travel, and stationary travel control meanslocated at the respective ends of travel for causing said unit toreciprocate on said travel path, said travel control means havingselective positions along said path for limiting the length ofreciprocating travel of said unit to a desired number of said windingstations less than the total number of stations.

21. A multi-station Winding machine according to claim 20, comprising aplurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocatingtravel covering only part of said total number of stations.

22. A multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, comprising aplurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocatingtravel covering only part of said total number of stations, therespective ranges of two of said units overlapping each other, and atleast one of said two units having travel control means coactive withsaid switch device of the other unit for reversing the travel of saidother unit when said two units meet each other.

23. A multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, comprising aplurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocatingtravel covering only part of said total number of stations, a separateset of said stationary travel control means being provided for each ofsaid units whereby said respective ranges are selectively adjustable.

24. In a multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, each ofsaid winding stations having holder means for accommodating one of said.stationary travel control means whereby the travel of said unit can bereversed at any selected one of said stations.

25. A multi-station winding machine according to claim 20, comprising aplurality of servicing units, each unit having a range of reciprocatingtravel covering only part of said total number of stations, saidstationary travel control means being mounted at said respective windingstations, and some of said stations having said travel control meansselectively engagea ble with said switch device of different ones ofsaid respective servicing units.

References Cited in the file of this patent Switzerland Feb. 16, 1939Great Britain Dec. 15, 1954

2. APPARATUS FOR SERVICING A MULTI-STATION COIL WINDING MACHINE,COMPRISING A SERVICING UNIT MOVABLE ALONG THE WINDING STATIONS FORELIMINATING STOPPAGE DUE TO YARN ABSENCE IN SAID RESPECTIVE STATIONS,SAID UNIT BEING PROVIDED WITH DRIVE MEANS FOR CONTINUALLY RECIPROCATINGTHE SERVICING UNIT ALONG A SERIES OF WINDING STATIONS TO BE SERVICED,AND MEANS FOR DELAYING THE UNIT IN FRONT OF SAID RESPECTIVE STATIONS INRESPONSE TO STOPPAGE OCCURRING IN A STATION FOR A DELAYING INTERVALREQUIRED FOR THE UNIT TO ELIMINATE THE STOPPAGE IN SAID STATION.